Paperweight



June 21, 1949. J. J. CURLEY 2,474,036

PAPERWEIGHT Filed Aug. '19, I946 I JOHN .1 wi

" FIG. 3 2

v ATTORN Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PAPERWEIGHT John J. Curley, Brockton, Mass.

Application August 19, 1946, Serial No. 691,518

Claims.

Myinvention relates topa'per weights and more particularly to a magnetized paper weight.

I have found that the utility of a paper weight, over and above its intended function of preventing loose papers andsthe like from being blown orotherwise displaced, is considerably enhanced by the addition of "magnetic .means for temporarily holding and supporting thereon, metallic articles such as'pencils', pens, paper clips, pins and other like items of office equipment. By means of my improved device, articles of the character referred to above may be temporarily supported in an orderly manner-with reference to the top of the desk or the table on which the paper weight is placed.

The improved paperweight of the present invention comprises essentially a body portion formedfrom plastic or other suitable non-magnetic material, having recessed portions in one face thereof, adapted to receive a plurality of permanent magnets. The magnetic elements are preferably of trough-like formation, the vertical portions thereof comprising poles of the magnets. The magnetic elements. are enclosed by a non-magnetic cover or plate. and a suitable handle is provided whereby the paper weight may be lifted about.

Another object of my invention is to provide a magnetized paper weight.

Yet another object of my invention is to provide an improved paper weight havin a magnet element associated therewith, whereby metallic articles of office equipment may be temporarily supported thereon.

With these and other objects in view, which may be incident to my improvements, the invention consists in the parts and combinations to be hereinafter set forth and claimed, with the understanding that the several necessary elements, comprising my invention, may be varied in construction, proportions and arrangement, without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

In order to make my invention more clearly understood, I have shown in the accompanying drawings means for carrying the same into prac=- tical effect, without limiting the improvements in their useful applications to the particular constructions, which for the purpose of explanation, have been made the subject of illustration.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved paper weight.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along line 22 of Fig. 1; and,

Fig. 3 is a sectional View along line 3-3.0f Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, my improved paper weightcomprises a body portion, designated generally'by numeral I, having vertical sides or ends 2, :an inclined front face 3, and a handle member 4. The front face (Fig. 2) is provided with recessed portions or slots 5 adapted to receive permanent magnets 6, each of the magnets being of troughlike formation, comprising a flat bottom portion I, and vertical sides 8. As will be seen in'Fig. 3, the bottom 9 of each of the recesses 5 is parallel to the front face 3, the vertical sides 8 of the magnet project slightly beyond the plane of the front face.

The recessed portion of the front face is ,provided with a cover plate l0 having slots :H designed to receive the end portions l2 of the magnets, It will be noted that the end portions, comprising the pole pieces of the magnets, are flush with the plane of the top of the cover plate. In order to prevent vertical displacement ofthe cover plate, the ends l3 thereof are bent-inwardly and attached to the sides 2 by screws I4 or other suitable fastening means.

The magnets are designed to provide a'snug fit with the recesses, and when positioned therein, are arranged so that'adjacent pole pieces are preferably of like polarity. By means of this arrangemenh'separate areas of magnetic attraction are obtained, whereby different sizes of paper clips or the like can be separately grouped, one type of clip or the like, over each magnet. While, for purpose of illustration, I have shown a pair of magnets, it will be appreciated that the number of magnets may be increased, if desired.

In the use of my improved paper weight, the articles to be supported thereon, for example, a pen, pencil, paper clip, pin or the like, is brought to a position adjacent to cover plate within the magnetic fields between the pole pieces of the magnets, and then released. The magnetized fields are of sullicient strength to attract the object and temporarily hold it on the inclined face in the vicinity of and throughout the area (16- fined by the cover plate.

It will be understood that the cover plate may be formed without slots, that is to say, the vertical portions of the magnets may terminate at the top edges of the recesses, in which case the plate has a smooth continuous upper surface. The body portion of the paper weight, together with the handle member, may be formed from plastic, glass, or other suitable non-magnetic material. It will be further understood that, since the magnetic influence of the device would not be materially effected by covering the magnet poles with plastic material, the cover plate can be eliminated by completely molding the magnets in the plastic body portion of the weight.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I wish it to be understood that I do not confine myself to the precise details of construction herein set forth, by way of illustration, as it is apparent that many changes and variations may be made there-- in, by those skilled in the art, Without departing from the spirit of the invention, or exceeding the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A paper weight comprising a body portion of non-magnetic material, one face of the body portion having a recess formed therein, said recess having a flat bottom portion, vertical sides and ends, a permanent magnet, co-extensive with the recess and seated therein, said magnet having a pair of relatively long parallel pole pieces, and a non-magnetic cover enclosing the magnet, said cover having complementary openings to receive the end portions of the pole pieces, the exposed surfaces of the pole pieces being substan tially flush with the surface of the cover.

2. A paper weight comprising a body portion of non-magnetic material, one face of the body portion having a plurality of recesses formed therein, each of said recesses having a flat bottom portion, vertical sides and ends, a perma nent magnet, havin a pair of relatively long parallel pole pieces, seated in each of the recesses, the magnet being co-extensive with the recess, and a non-magnetic cover enclosing the magnets, said cover having complementary openings to receive the end portions of the pole pieces, the exposed surfaces of the pole pieces being substantially flush with the surface of the cover.

3. A paper weight comprising a body portion having substantially vertical sides and one face inclined at an angle to the horizontal, the inclined face having a recess formed therein adapted to receive a permanent magnet, said recess having a flat bottom portion, vertical sides and ends, a permanent magnet, co-extensive with the recess and seated therein, said magnet having a pair of relatively long parallel pole pieces, the end portions of the pole pieces projecting beyond the plane of the inclined face, and a nonmagnetic cover member enclosing the magnet, said cover having complementary slots therein to receive the end portions of the pole pieces, the exposed surfaces of the pole pieces being substantially flush with the surface of the cover plate.

4. A paper weight comprising a body portion of non-magnetic material having substantially vertical side faces and one face inclined at an angle to the horizontal, the inclined face having a recess formed therein, a permanent magnet seated in said recess and having a pair of relatively long parallel pole pieces, a non-magnetic cover member enclosing said magnet, said cover member having complementary openings to reoeive the end portions of the pole pieces, the eX- posed surfaces of the pole pieces being substantially flush with the surface of the cover member, the ends of said cover member being bent to overlie the vertical side faces of the body portion, and fastening means securing said ends to said vertical side faces.

5. A paper weight comprising a body portion of non-magnetic material and having substantially vertical side faces and one face inclined at an angle to the horizontal, the inclined face having a recess formed therein, a permanent magnet substantially coextensive with the recess and seated therein, said magnet having a pair of relatively long parallel pole pieces whose end per-- tions project beyond the plane of the inclined face, a non-magnetic cover member enclosing said magnet, said cover member having slots receiving the projecting end portions of the pole pieces, the exposed surfaces of the pole pieces being substantially flush with the surface of the cover member, the ends of said cover member being bent to overlie the vertical side faces of the body portion, and fastening means securing said ends to the vertical side faces.

JOHN J. CURLEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 371,901 Russell Oct. 18, 1-887 1,956,084 Tefft Apr. 24, 1934 2,386,500 Parker Oct. 9, 1945 

